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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22725940">People. Ugh.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/endrega_Turtlesse/pseuds/endrega_Turtlesse'>endrega_Turtlesse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>People. Ugh. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, College Student Clint, Hopeful Ending, Insecure Loki (Marvel), Introvert Loki, Light Angst, Loki needs to be left alone, M/M, Professor Loki (Marvel), Professor Tony Stark, Student Natasha Romanov, Thor (mentioned) - Freeform, Tony Stark Has A Heart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 16:28:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,072</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22725940</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/endrega_Turtlesse/pseuds/endrega_Turtlesse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki hated students. Rather unfortunate, as a professor.</p><p>However, he did not hate Professor Stark.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>(pre-relationhip), Loki / Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>People. Ugh. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1638292</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tony Stark Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>People. Ugh.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was born because I saw a picture of a very professory Tom Hiddleston. The rest, as they say, is history. And sleep deprivation.<br/>(I can't figure out how to insert a picture, so check out the original post on tumblr:<br/>https://endrega23.tumblr.com/post/190814786952/clintfbarton-tom-hiddleston-for-esquire-2011)</p><p>Name of piece: People. Ugh.<br/>Name of participant: endrega23<br/>Card number: 3097<br/>Square number and prompt: E5 - a pairing you've never done<br/>Rating: General Audiences<br/>Pairing: Loki / Tony Stark<br/>Warnings: no archive warnings apply<br/>Summary: Loki hated students. Rather unfortunate, as a professor.</p><p>However, he did not hate Professor Stark.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As a rule, Loki hated students. You might say that made his profession a bad choice - and he could admit to the irony, at least to himself - but that was the requirement to get tenure. He would have preferred to spend his days digging through dusty library after dusty library, looking for previously overlooked records of Vikings (he was <em>the</em> expert, thank you very much, his book on the Vikings’ tendency to avoid battle whenever possible, contrary to popular belief, was legendary), his tea in reach. But no, he had to deal with students. At least he still had his tea.</p><p>Thor, dear old brother, on the other hand, thrived on teaching. Not so much on research, though, so Loki could forgive him. Yes, everyone preferred Thor, Loki knew about the annual grumbling when a class inevitably discovered that they’d gotten Loki instead. But as long as Thor didn’t try to impede on Loki’s true territory, it was fine. Just fine.</p><p>“Mr. Barton” Loki sighed, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. “As I have told you the previous dozen times you asked me, no, you don’t get extra time on an essay because of your hearing difficulties. Please get out of my office.”</p><p>Finally, Barton got up. On his way out, he muttered “Worth a try” and it was almost charming how he thought Loki wouldn’t hear it, just because Barton wouldn’t have. Almost, but not quite, enough to make up for his disorganisation.</p><p>Loki took a sip of his tea as he looked up at the clock. Just another thirty minutes and his office hours will be done for the week.</p><p>He straightened up when his door opened again.</p><p>“Ms Romanov” he greeted her. At least, she usually had interesting questions. Unless,</p><p>“Professor Odinson, I was hoping I could go over my essay question with you again,” she jumped in straight, her Russian accent noticeable. She must be tired. “I still have a few doubts left-”</p><p>“Ms Romanov” Loki interrupted, forcing a pleasant smile on his face. “Your essay question was perfect last week. It is a challenging topic, but I have full confidence it will excellent. Please, have some faith in yourself.”</p><p>He could see she faltered. Loki usually humored her, because he knew all too well what it was like to overworry every little detail if his work, wanting - needing - it to be perfect, but today he just had enough. He was tired, he wanted to get back to his books, and he could feel his skin like it was a couple of sizes too small, itching every time he had to interact with another person. He needed his armchair, and maybe his cat, if Fenrir was in the mood.</p><p>“Please, Ms Romanov. Go home, do something you like for the evening, go to sleep early, and look your essay over tomorrow before you submit it. I can tell you it will be perfect. You just need to believe it, too.”</p><p>“I-” she hesitated, then nodded. “Thank you, professor. I will.”</p><p>“Have a nice day.”</p><p>Loki watched her go, and when his office was empty once again, he gave a sigh of relief. He could feel his skin settle a bit, even though it wasn’t enough, not yet. Not somewhere where anyone could come in at any time. He’d need to be truly alone to decompress, but he would take this pause.</p><p>He spent a blissful ten fifteen minutes alone. He didn’t even do anything, which would normally be impossible, the need to do something just too strong to ignore, but this time it left him alone. He just sat in his chair and basked in the sense of being alone.</p><p>He glanced at the clock again - it was moving infuriatingly slowly - and smiled a bit when he saw it standing five to.</p><p>Which was wiped off his face immediately when his door opened.</p><p>“You do know that you have five minutes for whatever you want and then I’m throwing you out” he called, not deigning to turn towards the door.</p><p>“That is more than enough” a voice answered with a smile in it, and Loki spinned to look at its owner so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash.</p><p>“Professor Stark” he drawled, his mouth stretching into a smirk without his command. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”</p><p>“I believe I promised you a coffee” Stark smirked back, then with a glance at Loki’s mug, “or I can make it a tea if that would make you more eager.”</p><p>Loki winced. He’d finally taken the courage to talk to Stark the day before (the man was a genius with lost archives, where did he even find those), and to his honest surprise it ended with Stark offering a very datey-sounding coffee. Yes, Thor had been insisting that Stark “fancied” Loki just as much as Loki “fancied” him (Thor’s words, not his!) but come on. It wasn’t like he was gonna trust Thor on this, the man was way too biased.</p><p>Both Loki and Stark had been busy for the rest of the day, so they’d just agreed to pick a time sometime later. Only, Stark has chosen today of all days.</p><p>“Or, not” Stark backtracked when he saw Loki’s wince. “It’s fine if you’ve changed your mind, not like I can hold you to anything-”</p><p>Oh, no, no, no</p><p>“No!” Loki shouted, surprising both of them. “No, it’s not that” he continued softer. “It’s just, it’s been a long day, and-”</p><p>“And you need to be alone” Stark nodded, and Loki stared at him. When has anyone, ever, understood him like that, especially so quickly? When he stayed silent for a touch too long, Stark shrugged. “Look, I get it. Sometimes you just need to be alone. From what I’ve seen, you more than most. I’m not gonna begrudge you that. As long as you’re not trying to make me get lost” and that smirk was back.</p><p>Loki swallowed against the bump in his throat, though God knows he didn’t give it permission to be there.</p><p>“I-” he started, and then he had to stop to clear his throat. “Raincheck?”</p><p>“Raincheck” Stark agreed, and by God his smile was a beauty to behold. In that moment, Loki knew he’d do anything to keep it there.</p><p>It was too early to start falling in love, right? He’ll have to ask Thor when he got home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tell me what you think! Loki is not my main interest, but if there's interest, I could continue this. It's extremely self-insert (Loki is basically me here xd) so I could definitely come up with something.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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